Traverse quadrant.



PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904.

H. G. NICHOLS. TRAVERSE QUADRANT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1903.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

N0 MODEL.

H 0 T N E V N I WITNESSES 7 ATTORNEYS 1': mums PETERQJJQ. mraLfirua, WASHINGTON. a, c.

PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904.

7 H. G. NICHOLS. TRAVERSE QUADRANT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1903.

'2 SHEETS-MEET 2.

no MODEL.-

I UNITED STATES Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

TRAVERSE QUADRANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.754,086,' dated March 8, 1904.

Application-filed February 12, 1903. rial N 1 23,053- (No model.)

To. all auhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .HENRY GRANT N IOHOLS,

a citizen) of the United States, residing at Irvington, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traverse Quad- ,rants, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a traverse quadrant which is primarily designed for the use of mariners and navigators, but may be used by surveyors, architects, me-

chanics, and others for the purpose of accurately ascertaining distances, angles, &c., at a glance without the necessity of laborious computations, a further object being to pro- .vide an instrument of the class hereinafter described and claimed which may be used by suitable reference characters are used to. indicate the several parts of my invention inveach of theviews, andin -which.

to be sailed on a given course either in plane, parallel, middle latitude, or Mercators sailings, the departure, latitude, longitude, difference in latitude or longitude, &c., having given one or more of the same as a basis upon which to set the instrument.

Myinvention is fully described in the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying-drawings, in which Figure l is aplan view of my traverse quadrant; Fig. 2, a section on the line 2 2- of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a. planvviewof, a radial arm which I emp1oy; -Fig.- 4, a side view thereof; Fig. 5, a section on the line, 5 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a section on the line 6 .6 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 a bottom plan View of a part of .theframe of my instrument,and Figs. u8 and 9 diagrammatic explanationsof problems solved by the use of my invention.

W In, the practice of myinventionl provide a horror casing-a, Within Which is mounted a frame (L2,. of brass,--steel, aluminium, or other suitable material, and-,upon' which is mounted a supplemental frame a", which forms a perfeet square and which is elevated at some distance above the frame a The frame a is eight equal parts, numbered from oneto four from the basic lines of said quadrant to the center thereof, and these divisions correspond to the divisions of a compass and may be so indicated, as shown, and are used for finding the courses in all methods of sailing. Mounted on the frame 64 and pivotally secured at the center a of the quadrant a is a radial arm 6, the outer end 6 of which is pointed and adapted to be used as an index in reading the graduations on the quadrant a, and the radial arm 6 is provided with a scale 6 the graduations of which are numbered from zero at the pivotal point a to one hundred miles or minutes at the inner edge of the quadrant a,

which is exactly one-half inch in width, and

the scale 6 is divided into one hundred spaces, and each space equals one unit. Mounted upon the radial armb is a slide 12*, comprising aset-screw b and the ends of the members b are turned inwardly and engage With the under surface of the radial arm 6, and the- -clutch-bar b is slightly arched, so as not to bear on the graduations of the scale 6 said clutch-bar being adapted to be operated by the set-screw ,6, thereby holding the slide 6* in any desired position on the radial arm 6.

The sides of the radial arm are preferably provided with longitudinal runs on their under sides, and the inner: sides of the branch -members a are beveled to meet the surface of the arm 5, and one of the said branch members is provided with avernier Z2 of ten gradu- Nations corresponding in length to eleven of the graduations on the scale [2 and by means of the Vernier b readings to one-tenth of a unit may thus be made,'and secured to the under side of the slide 6 and extending down- ,four branch members 6 a clutch-bar b and wardly a predetermined distance is a finger Z), the object of which will be hereinafter eX- plained.

Secured to the outer end 6 of the radial arm 6 is a folding Vernier 0, reading to one minute, and there arethirty graduations thereon corresponding to twenty-nine graduations on the outer edge of the quadrant a", with which it is adapted to operate, and the thirty graduations on the folding Vernier c are divided into six equal divisions and numbered in fives from the center to each end thereof, and this vernier is read in the direction with numbers on the quadrant. By means of this construction it will be seen that the radial arm 6 and vernier 0 may be moved to any point on the quadrant ct and the slide 6* may be moved and set at any point on the radial arm I), and approximately exact readings thereon may be made by means of the verniers b and 0.

The side members 0 and 0 of the supplemental frame 6 are also each provided with a scale 0 and 0 of one hundred units extending from zero of the quadrant a to a point exactly in line with the inner edge of the quadrant a at each end thereof, and the scales are extended one division in contrary direction from Zero.

The frame a is provided with lugs 03, which are adapted to hold tracks (2 and CF, arranged on the inner sides of the frame (0 and the tracks 6Z3 arepreferably higher than the tracks (Z and mounted upon the tracks d is an indicator-shde (ii having long bearing-surfaces, as shown, and similarly placed upon the tracks 0Z is another indicator-slide (Z arranged at right angles to the slide (F and adapted to freely pass thereover, and the indicator-slides d? and (Z are provided each with a longitudinal slot al and d respectively, into which closely passes the finger I), and, as will be seen, when the radial arm 6 and finger b are moved the indicator-slides will be moved thereby; but if the slide 6, which carries the finger b", be loose on the radial arm 6 the moving of one of the indicator-slides will not disturb the other indicator-slide, as the slide Z) will move over the radial arm 6.

On the outer ends of each of the indicatorslides cl and d are posts a and 6 provided with set-screws e and 6 respectively, and the posts e are provided with slots 6 near the tops thereof, into which are passed and firmly held plates 6 and 6 provided each with a Vernier-scale, intended for reading fractional partsof a unit on the scales 0 and 0, respectively, with which they are adapted to operate, and are read in contrary direction to numbers on scale.

Adjacent to the ends of the quadant a are holes f and f beneath each of which is rotatablymounted a disk f upon which are plainly marked the letters N, E, S, and W, any one of which letters is adapted to show in the opening f or f as, for instance, in the position shown in Fig. 1. N shows at the top hole f, while E shows at the hole f. If, however, we turn the instrument so that E is at the top, it is changed to N, and N in the hole f is changed to W, as will be readily understood.

It will be understood that if the slide 6* be secured to the radial arm 7) and the radial arm be moved along the quadrant a, the indicatorslides d and d will also be moved a corresponding distance, as well as the verniers connected therewith, and if the radial arm I) be stationary and the slide [2 be moved the indicator-slides cl and 61 will also be moved, and if it is desired to set one of the indicator-slides at a given point, the other indicator-slide being already set and the slide 6 being free to slide over the radial arm 6, the last-named indicator-slide will not be disturbed by the moving of the first-named indicatorslide, and this movement of the parts takes place in each of the solutions hereinafter explainedas, for instance, setting one indicator-slide at thirty miles and the other at forty miles, the slide 6* will register fifty miles on the radial arm 6.

The operation of and uses to which my invention may be put will be fully described in the following description, which embodies a number of examples and solutions therefor:

A navigator may compute all courses and distances in a days work of the ship, as well as reducing all such courses and distances to a single course and distance, and with this instrument a traverse of a half dozen different courses can be worked and all the data necessary to the navigator for the skilful handling of the ship can be found with as many movements of its parts without recourse to books or tables of any kind.

The tedious work of interpolating for minutes in the course, latitude, and longitude is abolished, as will be readily seen byany person who has been compelled to work out his position by the use of tables of logarithms.

,In using the instrument it must be remembered that north and south are the zero-points and east and west are ninety degrees or by compass eight points and must be counted accordingly, and the instrument is supposed to beheld in the position of Fig. 1, but maybe turned in any direction to correspond to the direction of the ship or for the purpose of making various calculations. I

My invention may be used in all the different methods of sailing, and an instance of each will be given, the following case coming under the head of what is known as plane sailing. Suppose we know the course and distance sailed and we require the difference in latitude and the departure. We take the course, say, northeast on the quadrant (t by moving the radial arm]? to the position of northeast and take the distance in miles or minutes on the radial arm I; by moving the slide 1) to, say, eighty miles. We then look on the parture, which registers approximately fifty- -six and one-half degrees or miles, and the difference in latitude will be found on the side 0 and this operation may be variedto find any results under the head of plane sailing.

The following case comes under the head of what is known as parallel sailing, and suppose we have given the latitude and the difference in longitude and we desire to find the departure and distance, we take the latitude on the quadrant a by moving the radial arm I) to that position, and we take the difierence in longitude on the radial arm 6' by moving the slide If to the required position. The longitude is in minutes on the radial arm 6. The departure and distance are in miles and will always be found on the latitude side 0 of" the instrument and, as can be seen, are both the. same in this style of sailing.

To find the number of miles in one degree of longitude on any parallel of latitude, we take the latitude on the quadrant a in the ;manner previously described as a course and the longitude sixty minutes on the radlalarm b. This gives thenumber of miles in one degree of longitude on the latitude side 0 of the instrument. It is obvious from the foregoing example that given the number of miles in anyone degree of longitude its parallel of latitude-can be found on the quadrant a and the difference in longitude on the radial arm I) in minutes, this gives us the departure on the latitude side 0 of the instrument, a

and it will be apparent that any of the problems which occur in middle-latitude sailing may be solved in a similar manner by the use of my instrument.

The following case will be used in conjunction with cases in plane sailing and middlelatitude sailing in the different cases of Mercators sailing using meridional parts, increased latitude. Take the middle latitude on the quadrant at as a'course and the difierence or increased latitude, and various problems.

in latitude on the-latitude side 0 Thisgives the meridional difference on the radial arm 6 in this style of sailing maybe solvedin a similar manner'as, for instance, take a north latitude of thirty-one degrees and a north 'lati-' tude' of thirty degrees and find the middle latitude. By adding the same together and dividing by two we have the middle latitude of thirty degreesand thirty minutes, which equals the course to be taken on the quadrant a. I Taking a'north'latitude of thirty-one degrees and a north latitude of .thirty degrees and subtractthirty degrees from the thirtyone degrees, We have a result of one de gree, which being multiplied by. sixty equals sixty miles, which is taken on the latitude side 0 of the instrument, and this gives the meridional difference on the radial arm 6 and equals sixty-nine and three-tenths miles' The following case is used in taking the departureor finding the ships position from some object astronomically known, and Fig. 9 of the drawings will be of use in understanding the case. Given course and distance sailed between two bearing-points to find the distance of object from first and second'ibearing-pointsi On leaving port a shippasses an object on a point of land which bears from the ship north-northeast or two points east and sails a course southeast. until the. object bears north three-fourths west, when according to reading. of log we will suppOse.she has traveled five miles and the second bearing-point is north three-fourths east. Taking the course on the quadrant and the distance is five miles and the second bearingpoint is north three-fourths east. Taking the course on the quadrant a and the distance five miles on theradial arm 6, We find the departure to be three and five-tenths miles and also the difference in latitude to be three'and five-tenths miles. The object from first bearing-point is two points east. Swing the bearing to north, which changes all the bearings and course two points, then we have for our second position; The first bearing-point is north, the course equals east-southeast, the

distance is five miles, and the second bearingpoint is north-northeast three-fourths .west. Taking the course on the quadrant a and the distance on the radial arm 6 and we find the departure on the side 0 to be four and sixtenths miles and the difference in latitude on the side 0 to be one and nine-tenths miles. The triangle. showing the object. in first position gives the true bearings, course, and distance sailed between. The dotted triangle shows thebearings hingedand gives thetrue distances corresponding to the second position. Next we use the hypotenuse of the triangle in the second position, northrnorthwest three-fourths west, and useit'as a'cours e on the quadrant a, and the departure four and six-tenths miles on the ,side 0 of-th'e instrument, and in this position we find thejdistance'equals nine miles on the radial arm'b, and the difierence in. latitude equalssevenand seven-tenths miles on the side-c When the instrument is in second position, the difference in latitudeequals one and ninetenths miles subtracted from the difference in latitude, seven and seven-tenths miles, found in the third position, and we have five and eighttenths. miles, which equals the distance of object from first bearingepoint.

the distance of object from first bearing-pointnorth-northeast five and eight t'enths miles, distance from the object from-secondbearingpoint north three-fourths west nine miles. Take the reverse of second bearing point and enter it as the first course. Then we have first Then we have of latitude are less than ten miles, the scale may be enlarged. Suppose each scale to represent ten miles. Then. the verniers read to one-hundredth of a mile.

The following problem occurs in architecture and mechanics, and although but one problem and the solution therefor is given=it will be apparent that any number of other problems may be solved by the use of my instrument: Having given the rise and run of a plane roof and desiring to find the pitch and length, we take the rise on the departure side 0 of the instrument and the run on the lati-,

tude side 0 of the instrument, and this gives us the pitch on the quadrant cf and the length of the radial arm 6. In all problems in hip and valley in both equal and unequal pitches the foregoing solution or others by the use of instrument will be possible. Having given the rise and run of an equal-pitch hip or valley and desiring to find the length of hip or valley, find the rise and run of roof, as in'the problem and solution last given. Then take the run on the departure side 0 of the instrument and run on latitude side 0 and this gives the run of hip or valley on the radial arm 6. Next take the run of hip so found on latitude side 0 and the rise of roof on the departure side 0 and this gives the length of hip on the radial arm Z). In unequal-pitch hip and Valley problems in finding lengths of hip or valley in roofs of this kind, as shown in Fig. 8, measurements given must be from extreme end of rafters at eaves, or, in other words, the width of the building must include the projection of rafters over the side or sides. Having given the rise and run of both roofs, to find the length of hip or valley we take the run of both roofs on opposite sides of instrument, which gives the run of hip or valley on the radial arm I), and next we take the run so found and the rise of roof on opposite side of instrument, and this gives us the length of hip or valley on the radial arm I).

Although I have fully described a number of solutions by means of my instrument, it will be apparent that many other solutions for various purposes may also be determined thereby, and the exact size shown or number of graduations on the scale is not an absolute necessity and may be increased at will, and various other changes in and modifications of the construction herein shown may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

The solutions by means of my invention have been compared with a number of the examples in a standard work on navigation in the different methods of sailing, using the plane tables and tables of logarithms, and found to correspond therewith, allowance being made for slight inaccuracies in the graduations of my present crude model, and the results obtained are such as to indicate a greater degree of precision than those obtained by use of tables.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. An instrument of the class described, comprising a'rectangular frame, a slide mounted in said frame and operatingparallel to one side thereof, a supplemental slide mounted in said frame and operating at right angles to the firstnamed slide and crossing the same, a quadrant arranged in one corner of said frame, a radial arm operating in connection with said quadrant and in operative connection with said slides and means for securingsaid radial arm and slides in any position, substantially as shown'and described.

2. An instrument of the class described com- -prising a frame having, a quadrant, slides mounted in said frame and at right angles to each other, a radial arm operating in connection with said quadrant, a finger slidably mounted on said radial arm and adapted to engage slots in said slides and means for securing said radial arm and slides in any position substantially as shown and described.

3. An instrument of the class'described com prising a frame, two slides mounted in said frame and adapted to slide thereon, one above the other and at right angles to each other, a supplemental frame mounted over said firstmentioned frame, graduated scales on the side members of said supplemental'frame, a quad-' rant secured to said supplemental frame and graduated on its outer edge, verniers mounted on said slides and adapted to be read on the graduated scales on said supplemental frame, a radial arm pivoted on said supplemental frame and operating .in connection with said quadrant, a graduated scale on said radial arm, a slide mounted on said radial arm, a Vernier on said slide and adapted to be read on the scale on said radial arm, a folding Vernier on the outer end of said radial arm and adapted to be read in connection with the graduations on the outer edge of said quadrant, substantially as shown and described.

4. In an instrument of'the class described comprising a frame, slides mounted thereon, a supplemental frame, a quadrant mounted thereon, a radial arm in operation with said quadrant and a slide mounted on said radial arm, a plurality of openings in the said sup plemental frame, a disk removably mounted my invention I have signed my name, in pres= beneath each of said openings, said disks each ence of the subscribing Witnesses, this 9th day bearing the cardinal points of the compass, of February, 1903.

any one of which is adapted to be read in one HENRY GRANT NICHOLS 5 of said openings, substantially as shown and Witnesses:

described. JOSEPH G. DENARD,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as SAMUEL J. ENGLISH. 

